Special Operations Division
Mission Statement
To be a team of highly motivated and highly trained pre-hospital professionals.
To respond readily when called upon and provide the best possible pre-hospital advanced life support emergency care during actual or potential MCI situations.
To assist our public safety colleagues (Police, Fire, and Volunteer EMS) during crisis incidents with specialized personnel and equipment.
To represent our service at public gatherings and public relation events.
Purpose:
The Rockland Paramedic Services Special Operations Division was entered into service in September 2002. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we at Rockland Paramedic Services saw the need in Rockland County for a specialized medical unit to assist regular 911 operations during extended emergency incidents.
Extended emergency incidents include fire stand-bys, Hazardous Materials Incidents, extrication of patients from remote areas and search and rescue incidents. The team also will be used for non-emergency events or stand-bys. These type of events include parades, marathons, fireworks events, street fairs, cycling races and any other event where there are large numbers of people.
Our team members undergo extensive training in Incident Command Systems, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Hazardous Materials Operations and Public Safety Rehabilitation. Our specialized equipment includes VHF, UHF and low band base radios, cellular telephones, cellular facsimile, special misters for cooling crowds, chemical agent antidotes, portable stretchers, tents, and large amounts of bulk supplies that our crews would need. We also have a portable generator, portable lights, and oxygen administration equipment capable of administering oxygen to 25 patients at a time.
The team's first actual deployment was very successful. The team was utilized at the Hazardous Materials incident at the Rockland County Health Complex in the fall of 2002. Over 100 patients were triaged, evaluated and treated by the team members working side by side with local EMS volunteers and representatives from the Rockland County Health Department, as well as Fire Services and other emergency management officials.
Rockland Paramedic Services is constantly trying to improve the services that we provide to the communities that we serve. Our Special Operations Division is our latest attempt to improve emergency medical services in our response areas. If you would like more information on our SOD team or any of the other many services that we provide to the communities we serve, CLICK HERE.
